Deodorizing and disinfecting device



Feb. 11, 1941. L, c c -r 2,231,322

DEODORIZING AND DISINFECTING DEVICE Filed March 21, 1939 2She'ets-Shee't l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Feb; 11, 1941. 1... CATHCARTDEODORIZING AND DISINFECTING DEVICE Filed March 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Jew/5'5 Cathleen? INVENTOR BY Ma ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 11, 1941UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 21,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to vaporizers and more particularly to anelectrical fumigating device to be used for disinfecting and deodorizingpurposes, more especially in the home, but being efficient and practicalfor use in hospitals and the like, and in various public places ingeneral where disinfecting or deodorizing is necessary or desirable.

The object of the invention is to attain simplicity and compactness ofstructure and economy in manufacture, together with practicability andefficiency in operation and use, as well as durability.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages to be attained, aswill hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists in thegeneral structure and in the particular parts and combinations andarrangements of parts thereof as set forth in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsillustrating a practical adaptation of the invention, in which- Figure 1is a view of the device partly in front elevation and partly in verticalsection;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the device, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the vaporizing receptacledetached;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 80 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in section similar to the lower portionof the structure shown 5 in Figure 2 but illustrating the dispensingelement in elevation and certain parts of the electric connectingelements in section;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary section taken on or about the line 1-1 ofFigure 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the dispensing element detached; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view 11- lustrating the plugelement of the electric cord. Referring now to the drawings, the numeralI designates the hollow body of the device which, as shown, is generallycylindrical, but, obviously, may be of any desirable form and made ofeither opaque or transparent material, as preferred. If made of opaquematerial as a substantial whole, a portion thereof may obviously have atransparent insert whereby the liquid contents of the main chamber 2thereof may be exposed to view, or, as shown, a suitable float element 3may be provided at the lower end of a rod 4 which is rotatable in andslidable longitudinally through 1939, Serial N0. 263,307

a guide tube or bushing 5, which latter is fixedly secured in an axialopening in a closure cap or stopper 6 of a filler opening I provided inthe top of the chambered body I. As shown, the float rod 4 has a knob 8fixed on its upper end, said knob having a screw-threaded recess in itsinner end portion, surrounding the adjacent portion of the rod inconcentric spaced relation thereto and being normally screwed onto theprojecting'externally screw-threaded end portion 9 of the guide tube orbushing 5, by which provision the knob may be turned to disengage itfrom said end portion 9 of the guide tube or bushing 5 so that the levelof the liquid contents in the cham ber 2 may be indicated by thedistance of the knob from the top of the body 1 due to the lifting ofthe rod 4 by the float element 3 (see Figure 1).

Obviously, the closure cap or stopper element 6 may be of any desirabletype or form, but, as shown, it comprises a tapered plug which is fittedinto a correspondingly flared opening I in the top wall of the chamber2. Any suitable or desirable provision may be made for supporting thedevice in use, but inasmuch as it is more practical to mount the deviceon a wall or other support in a room or compartment where it is used, asupporting bracket l0 may be provided as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 6,said bracket being fastened to the wall or support by nails or screws,as at H, the bracket being preferably provided with inturned convergentmarginal flanges [2 or otherwise formed with undercut marginal wallswhich are obviously downwardly convergent so as to provide a taperedchannel for the reception of a correspondingly tapered dovetailelongated lug or rib I3 which is formed integrally or otherwise providedon the body I of the device, by which provision the device may bereadily placed and firmly supported on the bracket and readily removedtherefrom, at will.

Just below the bottom M of the main chamber or reservoir 2, the body Iis provided with a diametrieal horizontal bore [5 extending from thefront of the body to a point near the rear face portion thereof, saidbore being communicable with the chamber or reservoir 2 through an axialport I6. Fitted slidably in the bore I5 is a dispensing plunger elementl1, said element being held against rotation in said bore l5 butpermitted limited longitudinal movement by having a lug or spline l8which rides in a longitudinal groove l9 provided therefor in the bottomof the bore I5 near the outer end thereof. The outer end portion of thebore I5 is counterbored and screw-threaded, as at 20, to receive thereina counterpart externally screw-threaded portion 2| of a flanged collar22 through which the plunger element 11 slides. This collar 22 closesthe outer end of the groove l9 and affords a stop which the lug orspline l 8 normally abuts to limit the position of the plunger element11 which is urged outwardly by a spring element 23 interposed betweenthe inner end of the plunger element and the adjacent end wall of thebore 15, said spring element being constantly under tension andyieldable to permit inward movement of the plunger element as Will bepresently described.

The plunger element i1 is provided with an elongated chamber 24 having aport 25 which is normally in registration with the port I6 at the bottomof the main chamber or reservoir 2, by which provision the chamber 24 ofthe plunger element is normally filled with liquid from the chamber orreservoir 2, said chamber 24 being of a predetermined size to receive ameasured quantity of the liquid which is to be discharged into avaporizing receptacle, as will now be described.

The body I of the device is provided in the bottom portion thereof,beneath the transverse bore [5, with a recess or pocket 26 for thereception of a counterpart vaporizing receptacle 21, the recess orpocket 26 being preferably in the form of an axial bore and thereceptacle 21 being in the form of a generally cylindrical cup which isfitted removably but rather snugly within the bore 26, said receptacle21 being preferably made of a noncorrosive metal or other suitablematerial such as tempered glass, porcelain or the like.

Communication between the transverse bore l and the bore constitutingthe recess or pocket 26 is established through an axial passageway 28,said passageway being normally closed by the plunger element H, thechamber 24 of said plunger element having a port 29 which is broughtinto registration with the passageway 28 when the plunger element ismoved inwardly against the tension of the spring element 23, it beingnoted that the relative sizes of the ports 25 and 29 of the plungerelement and the distance between said ports being such that the port 25is moved entirely out of registration with the port I6 of the mainchamber or reservoir 2 before the port 29 moves into communicableregistration with the passageway 28, and by the same token the port 28,on the outward stroke of the plunger l1, moves entirely away from thepassageway 28 before the port 25 is again brought into communicableregistration with said port Hi. In this way, it is obvious that ameasured quantity of liquid is delivered through the passageway 28 intothe receptacle 21 upon each actuation of the plunger element I1.

In practice, the capacity of the receptacle 21 is somewhat greater thanthat of the chamber 24 of the plunger element I1 so that, under ordinaryconditions, there is practically no possibility of an overflow of theliquid contents of the receptacle 21, but as a matter of precautionagainst such happening, in addition to fitting the receptacle rathertightly in the bore 26, the inner end wall portion of the bore isprovided with an annular groove 36 concentrically surrounding thepassageway 28, said groove 30 receiving the inner end portion of thereceptacle 21, which latter is also preferably formed with a reducedannular ridge portion 3| which is fitted in a correspondingcountergroove provided therefor in the bottom of the groove 30.

In order to releasably retain the receptacle 21 in the bore 26, it ispreferable to provide the receptacle with concave recesses in itscircumfer ence to receive spring-pressed balls 32 which are contained incylindrical radially disposed tubes or bushings 33 having restrictedouter end openings which limit the normal protrusion of the balls beyondthe adjacent face portions of the bore 26. There may be one or more ofthese latch ball elements, as desired, but for the particular purposesof the present invention it is preferable to provide three of these ballelements 32 one being located at one side of the bore 26 to engage arecess 34 provided in the corresponding circumferential portion of thereceptacle 21, and a companion pair of said ball elements being providedat the opposite side of the bore 26 to engage in a special pair ofrecesses 35 and 36, respectively, provided therefor in the adjacentcircumferential portions of the receptacle 21, said special pair ofrecesses 35 and 36 being provided with metal linings of electricalconductivity whereby circuit completing contact is made for electricalheating elements to be presently more fully described, as well asserving as latching means for the releasable retention of the receptacle21 in the bore 26. Obviously, to position the receptacle 21 in the bore26, it is only necessary to push the receptacle into place, whereuponthe ball elements 32 snap into the respective recesses 34, 35 and 36,but to facilitate the removal of the receptacle it is preferable tocountersink the outer end portion thereof, as at 31, and provide it withan undercut knob portion 38 at the center of the recess 31, or,obviously, any other suitable withdrawing means may be provided for thepurpose.

Any suitable electrical heating means may be provided for vaporizing theliquid contents of the receptacle 21, but, as shown, it is preferable toprovide a central disc-like electrode 39 which is mounted on the bottomof the receptacle, said electrode being exposed throughout the area ofits top face as well as its peripheral portion and connected by a wire46 to the metal lining of the recess 35 in the circumference of thereceptacle, said wire 45, of course, being preferably embedded in theadjacent body portion of the receptacle or otherwise located outside ofthe vaporizing chamber of the receptacle and suitably insulatedtherefrom. A second electrode 4|, normally spaced from the electrode 39,is provided in the bottom portion of the receptacle, said electrode 4|,as shown, being in the form of a split ring extending in the circularcorner portion where the cylindrical side wall of the receptacle mergeswith the bottom wall thereof and being connected by a wire 42 to themetal lining of the circumferential recess 36 of the receptacle.

Any suitable provision may be made for establishing electrical circuitconnections between the metal linings 35 and 36 constituting theterminals of the wires 40 and 42, respectively, and a source ofelectrical energy. As shown, this is accomplished by embedding aconnecting wire 43 in the base portion of the body I of the devicebetween the closed end of the cylindrical bushing 33 and a tubular metalsocket 44 of electrical conductivity which is secured in the bottomportion of the bracket engaging rib 13 of the device (see Figure 6) andlikewise connecting the companion bushing 33 to a companion socket 45 bya wire 46. When the device, as shown, is secured in the supportingbracket It), said sockets 44 and 45 recelve therein companion studmembers 41 and 48, respectively, which are provided on a block 49 ofinsulating material which is secured to the lower portion of the bracket10, said studs being formed integrally with enlarged socket portions 50at their inner ends, said socket portions forming linings for recessesprovided in the under side of the block 49 for the reception of splitterminal contact members 5| and 52, respectively, provided on arectangular plug member 53 at the end of an electrical cord 54, whichlatter is provided at its opposite end with a regular conventional plug(not shown) which is obviously inserted in a conventional electricaloutlet socket located at any convenient place in a wall or floor. Inthis connection, it is obvious that as far as the present invention isconcerned, the supporting bracket III for the device may be installed asa permanent fixture on a wall or other supporting base and be providedwith a conventional electrical outlet as a built-in element of thegeneral wiring system of the premises.

In the operation of the device, the plunger element I1 is pressedinwardly as hereinbefore described to deliver a measured quantity of theliquid contents from the main chamber or reservoir into the vaporizingreceptacle 21, for general deodorizing or disinfecting purposes thequantity of liquid supplied to the receptacle 21 being equivalent toordinary spoonful measurements. The liquid in the receptacle completesthe electrical circuit between the electrodes 39 and 4|, which latterbecoming heated effect vaporization of the liquid and as soon as theentire contents have been vaporized and dissipated the electricalcircuit is, of course, again broken and the heating elements 39 and 4|accordingly deenergized until a new charge of liquid is supplied in thereceptacle.

To discharge the vapors from the receptacle 2'! the latter, as shown, isprovided with a pair of outlet ports 55 in its rear upper portion, saidports registering with outwardly flared discharge I passages 56 whichare branched so that their the button is inserted in an axial bore inthe outer end of the plunger element and fastened in place by a setscrew59, the setscrew, of course, being at least flush with the circumferenceof the plunger or, preferably, sunk below the surface so as not tointerfere with the inward movement of the plunger in the collar 22 andadjacent end portion of the bore l5 in the body I. By this structuralprovision the original mounting, removal and replacement of the plungerelement is facilitated in that the push button 51 is readily detachedfrom the plunger element for the original placement and the replacementof the collar 2|, which latter, when in place, serves as an end thrustabutment for the lug or spline 18 on the plunger element 11.

In practice, the knob 8 on the float rod 4, as well as the push button51, is provided with a luminous coating or colored so as to be visiblein the dark, and it is further noted that the body I of the device maybe formed fancifully in any modernistic or desirable contour, and thatin the use of the device any suitable deodorizing or disinfecting liquidmay be employed and dispensed into the vaporizing receptacle at anydesired time.

While the device illustrated in the drawings embodies a practicaladaptation of the invention, it is obvious that considerablemodification may be made therein without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims. The invention,therefore, is not limited to the specific construction and arrangementshown.

What is claimed is:

l. A vaporizing device for the purpose described, comprising avertically disposed body having a main upper liquid chamber and a lowervaporizing chamber, a cup-like receptacle removably inserted in saidvaporizing chamber to constitute a liquid container and closure for thechamber, said receptacle having a vent opening communicable with a vapordischarge passage provided therefor in the adjacent body portion of thedevice, electrical heating means in said receptacle, and liquid transfermeans interposed between the main liquid chamber and said vaporizingchamber, said liquid transfer means comprising a spring-projectedchambered reciprocatory element normally closing communication betweensaid main and vaporizing chambers but delivering a measured quantity ofliquid from said main chamber to the vaporizing chamber by inwardmovement of the element.

2. In a vaporizing device of the character described, a supportingbracket, a vertically disposed body having a main upper liquid chamber,a vaporizing chamber formed by recessing the bottom portion of the body,said body having a transverse bore intermediate the main upper chamberand the recessed lower portion of the body, the body having a portopening between the main chamber and the upper side of the transversebore and an alined passageway between the lower side of the bore and thelower recessed portion of the body, a chambered plunger element fittedfor endwise movement in said transverse bore, a spring elementinterposed between the inner end of the plunger element and adjacent endof the bore, said spring element yieldably holding the plunger elementin normal projected position and reacting to return said element to suchposition after each actuation thereof, said plunger element having aport opening in its upper side in normal registration with the portopening in the body of the device and a port opening in its lower sideforward of its upper port opening and also relatively forward of thepassageway between the transverse bore and the recessed lower portion ofthe body of the device whereby, upon inward movement of the plungerelement, communication between the chamber of the plunger element andthe main upper chamber is cut ofi and a measured quantity of the liquidis delivered from the plunger chamber through the passageway to thelower recessed portion of the body, a cup-like receptacle removablyinserted in the lower recessed portion of the body to constitute aliquid container and closure for the recess, spring-pressed latch meansfor releasably holding the receptacle in place, electrical heating meansin said receptacle, portions of the circuit wiring for said electricalheating means being closed by the latching means for the receptacle, andmeans for venting said receptacle through the adjacent body portion ofthe device.

3. In a vaporizing device of the character described, a supportingbracket, a vertically disposed body detachably mountable on saidsupporting bracket, said body having a main upper liquid chamber, alower vaporizing chamber formed by recessing the bottom portion of thebody, said body having a transverse bore intermediate the main upperchamber and the recessed lower portion of the body, there being a portopening between the main chamber and the upper side of the transversebore and an alined passageway between the lower side of the bore and thelower recessed portion of the body, a chambered plunger element fittedfor endwise movement but without rotation in said tranverse bore, meansfor limiting the movement of the plunger element in opposite directions,said element being spring-projected and having diagonally opposed portopenings whereby, in the normal projected position of the element, thechamber thereof is in communication with the main upper chamber of thedevice and communication is closed between the transverse bore and thepassageway to the lower recessed portion of the body of the device, butupon inward movement of the plunger element communication between itschamber and the main upper chamber is closed and the contents of itschamber are delivered through the communicating passageway between saidtransverse bore and said lower recessed portion of the body, a cup-likereceptacle removably inserted in the lower recessed portion of the bodyto constitute a liquid contamer and closure for the vaporizing chamber,said receptacle having a vent opening in communication with a vapordischarge passageway in the adjacent body portion of the device, thereceptacle being circumferentially notched, spring-pressed latchelements in the adjacent body portion normally protruding in the lowerrecessed portion of the body for engagement in the circumferentiallynotched portions of the receptacle, and electrical heating means in saidreceptacle, portions of the circuit wiring for said electrical heatingmeans being closed by the latching means for the receptacle and otherportions of the wiring being electrically connected by detachableengagement of terminal elements provided on meeting portions of thesupporting bracket and the attached body portion of the device.

4. The herein described vaporizing device, comprising a body having anupper main liquid chamber, a lower vaporizing chamber, and a transversebore intermediate said upper and lower chambers, said bore and chambershaving alined openings for intercommunication therebetween, aspring-projected plunger element, said element being chambered andprovided with diagonally opposed port openings whereby its chamher isnormally in communication with the main upper chamber of the device andcommunication with the lower vaporizing chamber is closed, but uponinward movement of the element communication with the main upper chamberis closed and the contents of the plunger chamber are delivered into thevaporizing chamber, said vaporizing chamber being formed by an axialbore in the bottom of the body of the device and a cylindrical cup-likereceptacle removably fitted in said bore, said receptacle having a ventopening in its upper portion in communication with a vapor dischargepassageway provided therefor in the adjacent body portion of the device,electrical heating means in said receptacle, and latch means forreleasably securing the applied receptacle in place.

5. The herein described vaporizing device, comprising a verticallydisposed body having a main upper liquid chamber, a lower vaporizingchamber, and means interposed between said chambers for delivering ameasured quantity of liquid from the main upper chamber to the lowervaporizing chamber, at will, said vaporizing chamber being formed by abore in the bottom of the body of the device with an axial inletpassageway at the inner end of the bore, the body being groovedannularly about the inlet passageway, a cylindrical cup-like receptaclefitted removably in said bore with its annular inner end portionreceived in the annular groove at the bottom of the bore, saidreceptacle having a vent opening in its upper portion in communicableregistration with a vapor discharge passageway in the adjacent bodyportion of the device, electrical heating means in said receptacle, andlatch means for releasably holding the inserted receptacle in place.

6. The herein described vaporizing device, comprising a verticallydisposed body having an upper main liquid chamber and a lower vaporizingchamber, said vaporizing chamber being formed by a bore in the bottom ofthe body and having a detachable cup-like receptacle fitted in the boreto constitute a liquid container and closure for the vaporizing chamber,an electrical heating element in said receptacle, and means interposedbetween said upper main chamber and said vaporizing chamber fordelivering a measured quantity of liquid from the main chamber to thevaporizing chamber, said means comprising a spring-projected chamberedplunger element having diagonally opposed port openings whereby, in thenormal position of the element, its chamber is in communication with theupper main chamber of the device and communication with the vaporizingchamber is closed, but upon inward movement of the element communicationwith the upper main chamber is closed and the contents of its chamherare delivered into the vaporizing chamber, and a non-heating push buttonmounted on the outer end of said plunger element.

LEWIS CATHCART.

